2025-26 Women’s NCAA Basketball: Top 10 Questions & Predictions

Women’s‌ College Basketball Preview: Stanford’s Rebuild & Conference Dominance in 2024-25

The landscape of women’s college‌ basketball is shifting, adn the 2024-25 season promises compelling storylines. From program transitions to conference battles, here’s a breakdown of what you need to know as we head into a new era.

Can Stanford Reclaim Its Place Among the Elite?

It’s fair to say Stanford experienced⁣ a notable‌ shakeup last season. The Cardinal missed the NCAA tournament for ‍the first time​ since 1987, a ‌stark contrast to the ⁤program’s​ storied history under the‍ legendary Tara VanDerveer.‍

VanDerveer’s retirement ⁢marked the‍ end of an era, and her former assistant, ​Kate Paye, now faces the challenge of steering Stanford through a period of transition. This includes navigating a new ⁣conference home in the ACC, bringing with ‌it increased travel demands.

However, don’t count Stanford out just yet.They⁣ are projected to finish sixth in the ACC, behind powerhouses like Duke, NC State, North Carolina, louisville, and Notre Dame. Several key players will be instrumental in their resurgence:

* Sunaja⁢ “Nunu”‌ Agara (Junior Forward): Named to the preseason All-ACC team,Agara is poised ‌to be a leading force.
* Hailee Swain (Guard) & Lara Somfai (forward): Both earned spots on the conference’s preseason All-Freshman team,‌ signaling a shining future.
* Highly Ranked Recruiting class: Stanford’s No. 3 ranked recruiting class, according​ to ESPN, could be the foundation for a new era of Cardinal basketball.

Stanford’s path back to ‍contention won’t be‌ easy, but the pieces are in place for a significant step forward this season.

Which Conference Will Dominate the NCAA‍ Tournament?

Determining the strongest‍ conference is ⁤always a hot topic, but early projections point to the Big ten as the frontrunner ‌for the most NCAA ⁤tournament bids. Our preseason Bracketology forecasts a remarkable 13‌ Big Ten teams​ making the field.

This surpasses the ⁣conference’s previous record of 12 bids set last spring. Furthermore, eight of those projected ⁣teams are ⁣seeded No. 6 or lower,demonstrating extraordinary depth.

However,the SEC is a close contender. It boasts five teams projected in the top 16 and produced two Final Four teams last season.‍ While the SEC’s depth may not match the Big Ten, its elite programs ‌have⁤ consistently performed well on the national stage.‌

Here’s a quick comparison:

* Big Ten: Greater overall depth, with more teams capable of making the tournament. UCLA appears to be the sole national title contender.
* SEC: Higher concentration of elite teams with proven NCAA tournament success.

Historically, the Big Ten hadn’t produced a Final Four team‌ since Maryland’s run in 2015 before Caitlin ‌Clark’s breakout performance with Iowa in 2023. The debate‌ over which conference truly⁣ reigns supreme‍ will continue, but expect the big Ten to lead in total tournament bids this year.

Ultimately,the 2024-25 women’s ​college‌ basketball season promises excitement,competition,and the emergence of new stars. You can expect⁣ a dynamic ⁢season filled with ‍upsets, thrilling finishes, and a fierce battle for NCAA tournament supremacy.